Research Priorities and Topics:

The programme addresses fundamental issues relating to the most appropriate and meaningful definition of the efficiency of an air-interface and of system level efficiency. It explores relationships between link and system efficiency, to quantify the potential benefits of dynamic spectrum sharing and to assess how cross-layer operation can help automatic planning and increase overall efficiency.

The research topics are structured into three specific areas:

• Optimum Combination of Air-Interface Techniques - this includes advanced MTMR techniques, performance evaluation of advanced air interface techniques and the RF requirements in co-operative terminals

• Spectrum Sharing & Enabling Techniques through Cognitive Radio – this includes spectrum sharing, its impact upon system requirements and the spectrum sharing efficiency gains

• Joint Link & System Optimisation – this includes cross-layer operation, adaptive & self-organising networks and the impacts upon overall system efficiency

Approach:

Air interface research around the world in recent years has focussed upon techniques to increase transmission bit rate; most of these, however, have been studied in isolation and yield diminishing returns. The approach adopted here is a holistic one, seeking to take a system level view of maximising overall wireless delivery efficiency, exploring the role of cognitive radio and cross layer optimisation in this process, also considering the impact of new trends in spectrum management. 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution) is taken as the technical baseline for evolution.

Publications:

Publications resulting from this research programme are listed here, with links to abstracts.